Bad Blood
by Gemini14
Summary: There is a new, deadly enemy in the land, and he is incredibly powerful. Can Inu-Yasha, his companions, and Sesshomaru, stop this new menace? (poor summary, I know, but I hope the story will be better! ^ ^;;) R/R Please!
1. Chapter One

Bad Blood

Chapter One

In the darkness of a moonless night, an incantation is being uttered. The speaker's words echo through time and space, causing everything around it to tremble. Finally, the chanting stops, and there is dead silence. For a moment it seemed as though even nature itself was holding its breath, then an ear-splitting crack of thunder came, and winds blew wildly across the land, centering on the spot where the incantation was said. And from amidst the roar of the wind, another roar was heard; the angered roar of a dog youkai, freshly awakened from sleep……………….

Inu-Yasha grumbled as he awoke the morning following the moonless night. Sure, the night had been uneventful, but he'd felt unusual all night. No, unusual was not the word for it; downright miserable was more like it. Inu-Yasha remembered with a wince what had happened almost immediately after sunset the previous day; the usual change, and then the intense pain and nausea. Then there had been a soaring fever, and violent chills, that left him weak and shaking. Kagome, Miroku, Sango and even Shippou had taken turns keeping an eye on him during the night and, even though Inu-Yasha pretended that it annoyed the hell out of him, he was glad they did.

"Are you sure you're all right, Inu-Yasha?" Kagome asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine." Inu-Yasha replied, shortly, as he hauled himself to his feet, swaying a little before Kagome helped steady him.

"I'm glad to hear it." Kagome said, letting the subject drop. 

"What do you think caused your illness last night, Inu-Yasha?" Miroku asked, as he retrieved his shakujou from where he'd placed it the night before.

"I don't know. " Inu-Yasha muttered, as at a loss to explain it as his friends were.

"But I do." A familiar voice said, from the clearing adjacent. Almost instantly Inu-Yasha knew who it was and had Tetsusaiga out, ready for a fight.

"Where are you, Sesshomaru? Answer me!" Inu-Yasha demanded. There was no immediate answer, but even Kagome could hear harsh, raspy breathing from the direction the voice had come. 

"This way." Kagome said, as she headed in that direction. What they came upon was not a pretty sight; blood was smeared in almost every direction, and a severely hurt Sesshomaru lay in the middle of it. The Lord of the Western Lands looked as though he'd almost been beaten to death, and had barely escaped with his life.

"What happened?!" Kagome asked, stunned by what she saw. The wounded youkai coughed painfully, bringing up blood from a collapsed lung, then looked up at Inu-Yasha, his eyes having nothing but a haunted look in them.

"Naraku's resurrected Father." Sesshomaru muttered, before the pain of his wounds and emotional trauma took their toll and he passed out, falling forward into Kagome's arms as he did so. Inu-Yasha stood frozen; his father?! Resurrected by Naraku?!? But how?!

"We need to get him back to Kaede's village. He'll die if he's left out here." Kagome said, as she started to lift the wounded youkai lord onto her shoulders. Reluctantly, Miroku and Sango agreed to help carry Inu-Yasha's elder brother back to the village. To their surprise, Inu-Yasha didn't even utter one complaint about the decision. Instead he spent the entire walk back to the village in stunned silence. What did this mean? Why had Sesshomaru been so bloodied up? Had Sesshomaru come all this way to find him and warn him? As these questions whirled around in Inu-Yasha's mind, another, more pressing question remained; would Sesshomaru live to tell them more?


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Inu-Yasha gazed thoughtfully at the stars. It was now dark, and he was lying on top of Kaede's hut. He turned his head when he heard Shippou's claws scratch the roof just slightly.

"How is he?" Inu-Yasha asked, as Shippou sat down beside him.

"The bleeding's stopped, but Kaede said that he's got a high fever. I don't think she's seen wounds as severe before." Shippou murmured.

"I know. Only our father, Inu-Taisho, could have given Sesshomaru those wounds. I think we're in over our heads this time." Inu-Yasha admitted.

"You really think so?" Shippou asked, amazed that Inu-Yasha had actually admitted such a thing. The hanyou nodded.

"It doesn't matter how strong I become with the Tetsusaiga, or how strong Sesshomaru will be when he recovers, Inu-Taisho would be able to grind our bones into powder without even having to think about it." Inu-Yasha said, grimly.

"Whoa………….." Shippou muttered, then lapsed into silence. It was a few moments before he spoke again.

"I understand how Naraku could control Sango's brother, but how could he have enough power to control the former Lord of the Western Lands?" Shippou asked.

"I don't know. I wish I knew." Inu-Yasha said, as he resumed gazing silently at the stars.

Naraku smiled, pleased with his work. There, standing before him, was Inu-Taisho himself, in all his former majesty. Long, waist-length, silver hair, silver armor with a katana at his side and a pelt draped over his shoulder. Yet the golden eyes were unfocused and dull; they had no life in them whatsoever.

"_It took a lot of power to bring you back, Inu-Taisho, and I almost lost control of you when I did. Yet now I have complete control, thanks to the collar around your neck. You will follow my every command to the letter._" Naraku thought, then looked directly into the unfocused eyes.

"You will go and find Sesshomaru. Finish him off. Return with the Tokijin, leave Tenseiga. If anyone tries to stop you, kill them as well." Naraku commanded.

"Yes, Naraku-sama." Inu-Taisho murmured, his voice as dead as his eyes. Within seconds Inu-Taisho was gone.

"_Soon. Soon you will see what a mistake you made in crossing me, Sesshomaru._" Naraku thought, as the howl of a transformed dog youkai split the night air.

Sesshomaru awoke to the feeling of a soft hand against his brow. He was a bit surprised to see Sango sitting alongside him.

"What are you doing, wench?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice frustratingly soft and weak.

"Keeping an eye on you till Kagome-chan and Inu-Yasha get back." Sango replied, backing up a little when the youkai tried to move, but found that he was still far too weak to do anything.

"Where did they go?" Sesshomaru asked, with a tiny bit of curiosity in his voice.

"Back to Kagome-chan's time to get some more 'first-aid' supplies. Inu-Yasha seems to be really worried about you." Sango said, noting the surprise in the wounded youkai's eyes.

"Him? Worried about me? He should save his strength." Sesshomaru grumbled, then asked, "Where am I, anyway?"

"We're in a village not far from where we found you. Sesshomaru-sama, do you know where the little girl and the toad are? They should know that you are all right." Sango said, quietly. Sesshomaru's eyes widened for a moment, then an unusual softness appeared in them.

"Rin……………………Rin! She's still back there!" Sesshomaru said, suddenly finding the strength to sit up and try to get out of the makeshift bed he'd been placed in.

"Lie still! You'll reopen your wounds if you keep at it!" Sango said, as she placed both hands on the youkai lord's shoulders, forgetting for a moment who she was trying to subdue.

"But………………Rin is……………" Sesshomaru whispered, before lapsing back into unconsciousness, and falling back onto the bed.

"Sango, how is he?" Kaede asked, as she entered the room, with some bandages and herbs in her arms.

"He's unconscious again. He'd said something about someone named Rin before passing out, but I don't know who he was talking about." Sango replied.

"It must be that child he has been looking after. Where has Miroku gotten to?" Kaede asked, changing the subject as she sat down to change Sesshomaru's bandages.

"I think he's keeping an eye out for youkai. He feels the same way I do about this situation. There could be more trouble on the way." Sango murmured, as she watched the youkai lord sleep.

"Oh, there is no doubt in my mind that there is trouble ahead, child. If Naraku is involved, then the trouble will be very great, indeed." Kaede said, as some concern emerged in her only remaining eye. Outside, Miroku scanned the horizon, looking for anything that seemed out of place. He froze when he heard a deep-throated howl far off in the distance, and shuddered at the blood-curdling note in it.

"_That wasn't a wolf that I'd heard just now. It was something bigger_…………" Miroku thought, his face paling at the thought of what it could be.

"Kaede, Sango, I think we'd better get ready to move." Miroku warned, not even turning around to look into the hut as he said that.

"What did ye hear, Houshi-sama?" Kaede asked, as she emerged from the hut and stood alongside the monk.

"Listen." Miroku replied, simply. Moments later, the bone-chilling howl sounded again, closer now than it had been before, yet still a good distance off.

"I think ye are right, Houshi-sama, yet Sesshomaru-sama is too badly injured to be moved. Ye would be taking a mighty risk to move him from here so soon." Kaede said, flinching when what appeared to be a strong wind blew past her.

"What the…………?!" Sango yelped, as the living whirlwind known as Kouga skidded to a halt in front of her.

"Where's Kagome?!" Kouga asked, frantically.

"In her own time, why do you want to know?" Sango asked, in turn. Kouga appeared to breathe a sigh of relief, and calm down slightly.

"There's something you guys need to know. Something Inu-Koro needs to know, too. My pack and I have sighted his sire, Inu-Taisho, late Lord of the Western Lands, heading this way. There's bloodlust in his eyes." Kouga said, with a gravity in his tone that Sango had never heard before.

"That's all Naraku's doing. That bastard simply can't let the dead rest in peace." Sango growled, angrily. Kouga nodded in understanding.

"I agree with you there, human. And it appears that the current Lord of the Western Lands would agree with ya as well, if he could." Kouga said, for once in his life sounding very mature and rational. Sango nodded and looked down at the unconscious youkai lord.

"Will you stay and fight alongside us, Kouga? We could use all the help we can get at this point." Miroku said, as he joined the pair in the hut.

"Nah. I've done my part by warning ya. Tell Kagome to keep safe for me, will ya?" Kouga asked, as he prepared to leave.

"We'll tell her." Sango promised. Kouga let slip a relieved smile, before he was gone again into the night.

"It's a good thing he decided to come and warn us. If the wolves could see Sesshomaru's father, then he must be on his way here. But what are they after?" Miroku asked.

"Tokijin……………….." Sesshomaru muttered, softly. Both humans looked down upon the youkai lord in shock. For a moment, Sesshomaru's eyelids fluttered, then opened to reveal his fever-glazed golden eyes.

"Your sword, Sesshomaru-sama? Why does Naraku want it?" Sango asked, even though she had a feeling of what his answer would be.

"He wants it's power………………..in order to destroy…………….all those who stand in his way………………….For what purpose…………..I don't know." Sesshomaru gasped, as sweat beaded on his pale brow.

"I certainly hope we don't find out." Miroku muttered, as he turned his gaze to the window, knowing that they were all in a dangerous position at that moment. And in the distance, the howls were coming ever closer………..

Inu-Yasha sniffed the air, as he and Kagome climbed out of the Bone-Eater's Well.

"You seem awfully cautious tonight, Inu-Yasha." Kagome commented, as she hefted her backpack onto her shoulders.

"Gotta be. If it's true that my father is out there somewhere, then we've got to be careful. He was a powerful, cunning youkai in his day, and there is no doubt in my mind that Naraku is using that to his advantage." Inu-Yasha murmured, stiffening when he heard a howl in the distance.

"Inu-Yasha…………..what was that?" Kagome asked, unnerved by the sound.

"Even though my memories of him are vague, I know that howl………He's heading for the village!" Inu-Yasha muttered, as he dashed off; barely giving Kagome time to grab onto his shoulders before he did so. They got to Kaede's hut in record breaking speed.

"Kaede-baba! Miroku! Sango! Get Sesshomaru ready to go! We've gotta leave now!" Inu-Yasha shouted, as he skidded to a halt in front of the hut.

"But your sire is still a good ways off. Surely we have time……….!" Kaede started, then stopped when she saw the grim look in Inu-Yasha's eyes.

"Don't underestimate Inu-Taisho. Just because he's under Naraku's control doesn't make him any slower. If anything, he's even more powerful now than he was in life." Inu-Yasha said, as he went into the hut and carefully lifted Sesshomaru from his bed. The full-blooded youkai grimaced as Inu-Yasha moved him, but managed to look directly into his eyes for a brief moment.

"Inu-Yasha……………..why are you risking your life to save mine?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice soft and pain-filled.

"I can't just leave you here to get killed by our father. Nobody deserves that kind of fate." Inu-Yasha replied, as he moved his elder brother as carefully as he could.

"Fool…………I'll only slow you down……….take your wench and the rest away from here……….I'll hold him off……….." Sesshomaru said, with cold determination in his voice, as he struggled out of his younger brother's grasp, then valiantly stood on his own.

"Don't be stupid, Sesshomaru! You'll only throw your own life away! You should know better than anyone how powerful Inu-Taisho is!" Inu-Yasha argued, for some reason not willing to leave his elder brother behind to face certain death. Sesshomaru gave Inu-Yasha a stern look.

"I know. And I also know that I don't stand a chance against him. Yet you stand even less of a chance. Don't make me say it again, Inu-Yasha. Take your group and run. Don't look back." Sesshomaru growled, as he limped over, retrieved his swords from the far wall, and tucked them into his sash.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Inu-Yasha asked, dumbfounded by his half-brother's actions. Sesshomaru shrugged.

"I don't know………..I'm asking myself that same question." Sesshomaru murmured, not even turning around to face his brother before he walked out of the hut.

"Inu-Yasha?" Kaede asked, when she saw that the hanyou was still standing there, looking at a loss for what to do.

"What should I do, Kaede-baba? I can't convince the stubborn bastard to come with us!" Inu-Yasha growled, in frustration.

"I think we should follow his advice, Inu-Yasha. He's a proud, stubborn youkai, and forcing him to come along with us will only wound his pride and further estrange you." Kaede said, knowingly.

"Yeah, I know, but what good is preserving his pride if all he's gonna do is throw his life away?" Inu-Yasha asked, yet moved out of the hut anyway. Once outside, he could see that Sesshomaru was standing some distance away from Miroku, Sango, Kagome and Shippou, and that Kirara was standing beside him.

"_What's going on with Kirara? Why is she standing next to him?_" Inu-Yasha wondered, as he watched the pair.

"I think he's giving Kirara some last minute instructions. Making sure we don't come back for him." Kagome murmured, unwittingly answering the hanyou's thoughts.

"I never thought of Sesshomaru as being a brave warrior, but he's certainly acting like one now. His demeanor is different from before." Sango mused, as they watched Sesshomaru look down at Kirara one last time, then send her back to the group. Before Kirara could get to them, however, a blast of wind knocked everyone to the ground. Even Sesshomaru was felled by the wind.

"He's here!" Miroku shouted, his eyes wide with something almost akin to fear as the form of a huge dog youkai materialized before them.

"Yeah……………and look who's with 'im." Inu-Yasha muttered, when he saw who rode on the late youkai lord's head.

"Kohaku……….." Sango whispered, as she watched the boy jump down from his seat and face them, his kusari-gama in hand as he did so. Kagome's attention, however, was on Sesshomaru; he was struggling to get to his feet, even as Inu-Taisho swiped at him with his massive clawed paws.

"Oh, no! If he doesn't transform, he won't stand a snowball's chance in……………..!" Myoga yelped, then was cut off when he got squished by a slightly miffed Kagome.

"And just where have you been, Myoga?" Kagome asked, her expression deadpan as she said that.

"Uh…………..getting a season pass to one of your 'theme parks'?" Myoga replied, meekly. Kagome rolled her eyes in exasperation. The moment was broken when Sesshomaru abruptly transformed into his true form and faced his father.

"He's missing a leg!" Sango yelped, when she'd noticed Sesshomaru's handicap and, in this case, his weakness.

"And to add to it, he's been pretty badly injured as well. Those wounds of his could not have healed that quickly, even for him." Kaede mused, as she watched father and son face off.

"_This isn't going to be pretty_…………." Inu-Yasha thought, as he tensely watched the showdown. With loud roars, both dog youkai leaped at one another, with their fangs and claws bared.

"For having such a handicap, Sesshomaru seems to be able to move well." Sango said, as she watched the fight and dodged Kohaku's attacks at the same time.

"_He's had time to get used to it. That's how he's able to move so quickly without losing his balance._" Kagome thought, then gasped when Sesshomaru missed Inu-Taisho's throat and snapped at empty air. He yowled in pain when the larger dog youkai buried his fangs deep into his left shoulder.

"Sesshomaru!" Inu-Yasha shouted, eyes wide with alarm as he watched his brother fall to the ground, his shoulder gushing blood from the new wound.

"_Inu-Yasha_……………_get out of here_……………_I can't hold him off for too much longer!_" Sesshomaru's voice said, in Inu-Yasha's mind.

"Like hell!" Inu-Yasha replied, stubbornly, as he deflected Kohaku's kusari-gama with the Tetsusaiga, then leaped in and swiped at Inu-Taisho's face. His vain attempt to drive the bigger youkai back worked, to some extent; he managed to get some ground between the downed Sesshomaru, and the snarling Inu-Taisho.

"Hey, I don't know if you remember me or not, and I don't give a damn! But you've gotta at least see that you're attacking your own flesh and blood!" Inu-Yasha cried, trying to reach his father by talking.

"_Inu-Yasha,_……………….._what are you doing?!_" Sesshomaru asked, as he struggled to get back to his feet.

"_What's it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to see if I can reach him!_" Inu-Yasha replied, in kind.

"_It won't work. Naraku has too strong a hold over him._" Sesshomaru said, as he finally stood back up, swaying a little when he did so.

"_Heh, watch. All the stories about Inu-Taisho will be proven false if he doesn't come out of this on his own. 'Sides, I don't intend to fail this time. I couldn't reach Kikyo; so I sure as hell am not going to lose my own father!_" Inu-Yasha retorted, mentally, not moving an inch when the former youkai lord slashed at him.

"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome yelped, horrified when she saw how close that attack had come to striking the hanyou. Inu-Taisho turned his head when he heard Kagome's voice, and he focused his attention on her.

"No you don't! You're not making her your target, puppet of Naraku!" Inu-Yasha shouted, his words meant to insult the former lord. What Inu-Yasha's words were meant to do, Sesshomaru backed them with action. He put himself directly between Kagome and Inu-Taisho and growled fiercely.

"_Your fight is with me, Father. Not the hanyou or the wench._" Sesshomaru said, directing his mental voice to his once-dead sire. Kagome watched as Inu-Taisho backed up a little, then launched himself at Sesshomaru's throat. With a move that was spurred by desperation, Sesshomaru moved a fraction of an inch, and clamped down on Inu-Taisho's left ear when his head had moved past. The dog youkai bellowed with rage and, just as quickly, turned his head and grabbed Sesshomaru by the neck in his massive jaws.

"Sesshomaru!!" Kagome cried, in horror, as the young Lord of the Western Lands cried out in pain and struggled to get free. He went limp when Inu-Taisho put more pressure on his neck.

"Sesshomaru!" Inu-Yasha shouted, watching in numb shock as his brother's lifeless body fell from Inu-Taisho's bloodied jaws. Without even fully realizing it, Kagome found herself racing to get to the fallen youkai's side, joining a dumbstruck Inu-Yasha who had had the same thought in mind.

"Sesshomaru…………." Inu-Yasha muttered, as he kneeled down beside his fallen brother.

"_Inu_……………_Yasha_……………._run_…………" Sesshomaru said, as blood bubbled from the deep neck wound and from his mouth.

"Don't give up! You've gotta live, Sesshomaru-san!" Kagome shouted, as she tried in vain to stop the bleeding.

"_Leave me_………._Don't look back_…………." Sesshomaru's mental voice gasped.

"No way. I'm not leaving you here to be gloated over by Naraku when you're dead. You're going with us even if I have to drag you across this whole damn land!" Inu-Yasha growled, as he took a defensive stance between Sesshomaru and Inu-Taisho. To his surprise, Kagome did the same.

"_Kagome?!_" Inu-Yasha wondered, as the girl took aim with her bow.

"Kagome, what're you doing?! He'll kill you!" Shippou yelped, when he saw that Kagome was in the line of fire. But Inu-Yasha could see what his companions could not; it wasn't Inu-Taisho Kagome was aiming at, it was the collar that was around the dog youkai's neck!

"_If I can hit that collar, I'm sure I can free him! I just have to hit it in the right spot_….." Kagome thought, as she let loose her arrow. Through fading vision, Sesshomaru watched as the arrow burst into pure, white hot flames before it struck the collar that he was only now noticing.

"_The wench_…………._has the right idea_…………" Sesshomaru thought, before the last of his consciousness slipped away.

Naraku snarled when he saw that the spell he'd had over Inu-Taisho was broken so quickly.

"_But Sesshomaru is as good as dead. Those wounds will kill him._" Naraku thought, then issued the order for Kohaku to return to the palace.__


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Gennmaru was awakened from sound sleep by the gong just outside of his quarters. He knew, just by hearing it, that something dire had just happened. On the far side of the room, a sleepy, ten-year-old hanyou sat up and blinked blearily at him.

"What's goin' on, Gennmaru-sama?" the hanyou child asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning as he said that.

"I don't know, Kira. Stay here, while I go find out." Gennmaru ordered, as he got out of bed and quickly got dressed. The moon shone down on the courtyard as Gennmaru strode confidently across it to the place where the gong was situated. One look at his resident seer told Gennmaru that things were worse than he'd thought.

"What's going on, Kou? Why did you awaken me at this time of the night?" Gennmaru asked.

"Gennmaru-sama, I dreamed just now that Sesshomaru-sama has just been struck down by a powerful youkai……….someone far more powerful than him. You need to set out and find him before he dies………….before one of your uncles decides to try and finish him off. Please, set off now, milord! He needs you!" Kou cried, urgently. Gennmaru's eyes widened; his cousin Sesshomaru had been wounded?! And he was near death?!?

"Kou, arrange to have a barrier put in place here and send for the best healer you can get. I'll go and bring him back here so he'll be safe from the rest of our family and can recover in relative peace." Gennmaru commanded, as he rushed back to his quarters and grabbed his sword. Immediately, young Kira was at his heels.

"Kira, did I say you could come along?" Gennmaru asked, coolly. Kira shook his head.

"No, Gennmaru-sama, you did not." Kira replied, quietly.

"Then why are you following me?" Gennmaru asked, again.

"I go wherever you go, milord. After all, you did save my life." Kira said, his loyalty and resolution unwavering. The lesser youkai lord sighed.

"Very well. It seems I cannot convince you to stay here. But you must stay within sight at all times. Something very evil is afoot……….And I do not know if I have the strength to even stand against it." Gennmaru murmured, then thought as he and Kira left the palace, "_It seems as though you have stepped up your plans a bit, Naraku._" As the pair disappeared into the mists like wraiths, the seer felt some foreboding steal into his mind.

"_Keep safe, Gennmaru-sama, young Kira. Return here alive._" Kou thought, as he watched them go, then proceeded to carry out his lord's orders.

Kagome watched as Kaede did what she could for Sesshomaru. The past few moments had gone by in a whirlwind; the battle had ended, Kohaku had been snatched away by Kagura once again, and Inu-Taisho had assumed a false form then collapsed.

"These wounds are grave. I don't think he will last the night……" Kaede murmured, as she struggled to get the taiyoukai's bleeding under control. Even though Sesshomaru's throat had not been torn out (as Inu-Yasha and Kagome had initially thought) the wounds were still deep. Inu-Taisho's fangs had done severe damage, nonetheless.

"How is he, Kaede?" Inu-Yasha asked, so tired and concerned that he forgot to add the suffix 'baba' to her name. She shook her head grimly.

"His wounds are severe, Inu-Yasha. Too severe for me to handle. He might not live to see the morn." Kaede replied.

"Dammit……………if only he hadn't been so stubborn! He wouldn't be in this mess if he'd allowed himself to be taken to safety so his wounds could heal!" Inu-Yasha muttered.

"You're the same way, Inu-Yasha. You never give yourself enough time to heal, and you're always worrying those around you by being reckless." Kagome said, gently, as she approached and embraced the worried hanyou.

"I never thought I could actually be so afraid for Sesshomaru……He's dying Kagome…….and not even Tenseiga can save him now." Inu-Yasha murmured, hopelessly. It was then that Miroku appeared at the hut's entrance.

"Inu-Yasha, Kagome-sama, Inu-Taisho is starting to awaken." Miroku said, gravely, his voice also sounding tired and careworn. With a silent nod, both hanyou and schoolgirl walked over to the hut where the former taiyoukai had been laid after the fight had ended.

He was floating in a gray sea. In the distance, he could hear voices and the sounds of battle. Instinctively, he stood and reached for his sword, finding to his shock that he was unarmed.

"_What is the meaning of this? How is it that I do not have a single sword with me?!_" Inu-Taisho wondered, as he glanced at his empty swordbelt, then back towards the sounds. They were quieter now, almost as though the battle was ending. He stifled a yelp when brilliant light broke into the gray world, struck his neck, then sent him even further into the gray. After a valiant struggle, he finally managed to get to the spot where he had been before, only now to find that there were two doors there.

"You have the right to choose, Inu-Taisho. Do you choose to awaken, or go back to sleep?" a strange voice asked. Without a moment's hesitation, Inu-Taisho responded.

"I choose to awaken." Inu-Taisho said, stubbornly.

"Then follow your nose. It will tell you which door to take." The voice said, almost jokingly, before it stopped speaking.

"_Follow my nose, it said_………_Feh. Well, the door on the left reeks of death. The door on the right smells like_………._herbs?_" Inu-Taisho wondered, now curious as he opened the door on the right and went through it. He didn't notice when the door on the left opened just a little bit to show a desolate mountain range, and the empty spot where a giant skeleton was supposed to be……..

Kagome watched as Inu-Taisho's brow furrowed, and his eyes opened. For a few moments, the former Lord of the Western Lands looked confusedly around him, then gazed carefully at the faces he saw. But it took that short span of time for all of his senses to return, yet, when they did, his face took on a slight expression of alarm and he sat up, despite his weakness.

"I taste……blood. Did I lose my mind and attack my own son?" Inu-Taisho asked, a little bit shakily.

"You didn't lose your mind, sire, but you were under mind control. A youkai known as Naraku had you under sway by a collar he'd put around your neck. Kagome broke the spell with her arrow." Myoga said, as he hopped over and stood before the formerly dead youkai.

"Myoga….." Inu-Taisho murmured, then looked around at those in the room again. When his eyes met those of Inu-Yasha, he froze.

"_Why is he starin' at me like that?_" Inu-Yasha wondered, uncomfortably shifting his weight under his father's careful scrutiny. Then the former taiyoukai looked down and gave Myoga a stern look.

"Myoga, how much time has passed since I last saw you, Izayoi, or Inu-Yasha?" Inu-Taisho asked.

"Many years, milord. As you can see, Inu-Yasha has become an adult, and he bears Tetsusaiga as his own." Myoga said, noticing when some confusion crossed Inu-Taisho's features.

"How could I have missed that amount of time? Unless……………" Inu-Taisho trailed off, shaking his head when he thought of the impossible.

"Listen. That doesn't matter now. What matters is whether or not Sesshomaru lives to see the sunrise. You damn near tore his throat out, y'know." Inu-Yasha said, harshly.

"That much I have been able to tell, just by tasting the blood in my mouth….Does anyone else in the Western Lands know of my 'return'?" Inu-Taisho asked.

"No one to my knowledge, Inu-Taisho-sama. And, if we're lucky, no one will know for many weeks yet. News is slow to travel in these parts." Myoga replied. Inu-Taisho nodded thoughtfully, considering everything that he'd been told.

"And yet, the scent of Sesshomaru's blood will alert any nearby youkai to the fact that he has been in a near fatal battle. We may have to leave from here very shortly." Inu-Taisho said, grimly.

"Is the rest of your family that dangerous?" Kagome asked, speaking up for the first time in Inu-Taisho's presence.

"Power struggles are very common in noble families, ere they be youkai or human. Once word reaches the rest of my so-called 'family' of Sesshomaru's defeat, they will come to try and finish him off and take his title." Inu-Taisho murmured, then added, "But I won't allow them to get that close."

"Inu-Taisho-sama, I have a question." Sango said.

"Go ahead." Inu-Taisho replied.

"Do you know of any safe havens where we could take Sesshomaru where he will be able to possibly recover from his injuries?" Sango asked.

"There is but one……..But I don't know if it is even still his domain….." Inu-Taisho mused.

"How long do you think it would take to get there?" Miroku questioned.

"About four days, maybe even a week on foot. If you flew, you could go even faster. But I doubt Kirara could carry all four of you and Sesshomaru." Inu-Taisho said, noticing when some surprised looks adorned the faces of all those in the room. Yet, before any questions could be asked, the former taiyoukai got to his feet and shakily walked out of the room, heading for the room where Sesshomaru now lay fighting for his life.

Inu-Taisho felt dismay immediately upon entering the room where Sesshomaru lay. His chest, abdomen, arms and neck were heavily bandaged, but all were soaked through with blood. Near the younger taiyoukai, an elderly miko sat, giving him a wary look as he stood there.

"How is he?" Inu-Taisho asked, with the faintest hint of fear revealing itself in his voice. The old miko shook her head grimly.

"He's not doing well. The only thing that is keeping him alive is his sword, at this point, milord." The miko said, as the elder taiyoukai kneeled alongside Sesshomaru and placed a hand on his forehead.

"One time, long ago, I told him that if he wanted Tetsusaiga, he had to fight me for it. Tonight he wasn't after a sword, or power. He was, and still is, fighting for his life. How could I have been so weak as to fall under the spell of another?" Inu-Taisho asked, agonizingly.

"It wasn't your fault. Naraku has done something terrible to just about everyone here in this building." The girl in the strange clothing said, as she entered the room and placed a hand on Inu-Taisho's shoulder. He looked at the girl, asking for an explanation with his eyes.

"Kaede-san lost her elder sister to Naraku, Sango, her younger brother and her clan. Naraku has cursed Miroku's whole family. Even Sesshomaru had been used by Naraku to fight against Inu-Yasha. And Inu-Yasha………." The girl trailed off, as she gave Inu-Yasha an uncertain glance.

"I see. So this 'Naraku' has that much more to answer for…..But where do you come in, young lady? I have never seen one so strangely dressed." Inu-Taisho said, curiously.

"May name is Kagome and I'm from the future………I'm also Kaede-san's sister's reincarnation. You see, the miko who guarded the Shikon no Tama from youkai fifty years ago was killed by Naraku, but not before she turned against Inu-Yasha." The girl explained. Inu-Taisho nodded, as things became clearer to him.

"And that is what makes it all the more urgent that we get him to the islands." A strange, feminine voice said, from the doorway that led outside. All in the room looked up, startled that someone was there, and surprised when they saw that the newcomer had the same silver hair and amber eyes that Inu-Taisho, Sesshomaru, and Inu-Yasha shared.

"Arashi………." Inu-Taisho muttered, as the female youkai's cool and calm expression broke, and she rushed forward and hugged him tearfully.

"Father. You're here. You're real…..I thought my nose was playing tricks on me this night." The female inu youkai whispered, as she gave her sire a shaky smile.

"It wasn't. But in some ways I wish it had. I have done this terrible thing to your elder brother; an unforgivable act." Inu-Taisho said, sadly.

"How long are ya gonna blame yourself for something you had no control over? And who is this 'Arashi' anyway?!" Inu-Yasha asked, irritably.

"Arashi is your elder sister, Inu-Yasha. She is between you and Sesshomaru in age….. She was barely a teenager when you were born." Inu-Taisho explained.

"Ah, I see. Then that would make her a Lady of the Western Lands, correct?" Miroku asked, ogling her like he did with any other women that crossed his path. Inu-Taisho nodded, and watched as Sango dropped the Hiraikotsu on Miroku's foot, then backhanded him into the wall. Arashi smirked.

"I take it he's a pervert?" Arashi asked, as she watched the interaction between the pair.

"You have no idea." Kagome muttered, her expression deadpanning as a result.

"Take him to the mainland and drop him in one of the cursed springs there. That'll straighten him out, for certain." Arashi advised, getting a horrified look from Miroku as a response.

"Not a bad idea. The next time he even looks another girl in the eye I'll consider it. I hear that the Spring of Drowned Girl is very nice this time of the year." Sango said, grinning when Miroku made a speedy exit, brushing past another newcomer as he went.

"Well, now, judging by that fellow's expression, I take it the cursed springs were discussed?" a male voice asked, jokingly.

"Hai. Did you see anything out there, Koryu?" Arashi asked, as the man in question stepped into the hut. The hanyou, as he turned out to be, nodded gravely.

"Something sinister is gathering off to the west. There's a gathering miasma, and the scent is that of the nobility of the Western Lands…..We must move quickly." Koryu said, his silver eyes concerned as he gazed at the badly injured form of Sesshomaru.

"I am in agreement. But how can we safely move Sesshomaru-sama?" Myoga asked.

"I can carry all of you in my true form, but I do not think I can fly the whole way to the islands……My full strength hasn't returned yet." Inu-Taisho said, seriously.

"And we still do not know where Jaken and Rin are. I can only hope that Jaken has gotten Rin to the islands and away from Naraku's clutches." Kagome murmured, as all in the hut agreed, even those who did not know Sesshomaru's companions personally hoped that all was well.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Kagome watched as the scenery changed beneath her. She was now sitting on the broad back of the formerly dead Inu-Taisho, while she, Sango, Arashi, and Inu-Yasha struggled to keep Sesshomaru alive. They were now flying towards the Western Lands in the hopes that they could find a safe haven for the wounded young taiyoukai.

"_How is he faring, Miko?_" Inu-Taisho's voice asked, startling her out of her musings enough to look into his now ruby-hued eyes.

"We've managed to get the bleeding to stop, but he's having trouble breathing. How're you holding up?" Kagome responded.

"_I am fine, but starting to tire. It is taking my powers some time to recover, as I thought it would._" Inu-Taisho stated, actually panting a little bit to prove his point.

"Then don't push yourself. Land somewhere and catch your breath." Kagome said, noticing when something white moved quickly beneath them.

"_I will, but the break must be brief. Sesshomaru's strength is waning, as well._" Inu-Taisho stated, as he complied and descended into the cover of the forest. Once on the ground, the group carried Sesshomaru to the forest floor, and watched as Inu-Taisho tiredly assumed his false form and sat down.

"You all right?" Inu-Yasha asked, as he placed a hand on his father's shoulder and gave him a concerned look.

"Yes……Just a bit winded. And yet I am still trying to figure out how someone could have summoned my remains from the black pearl, my soul from the abyss, and then united them within flesh and blood again." Inu-Taisho murmured, his gaze troubled, as he looked his youngest son in the eye.

"I don't know how Naraku did it, either. You don't smell like bones and graveyard soil; your scent is as alive as anybody else's here." Inu-Yasha stated. This got a wan smile from Inu-Taisho as a response.

"Are you saying that I stink, son?" Inu-Taisho asked, with false anger in his voice and amusement in his eyes.

"No! I mean……You don't smell dead…..I mean…. Aw dammit!" Inu-Yasha stammered, only to get laughter from the former taiyoukai.

"Don't worry, I know what you mean." Inu-Taisho said, as he stood and tousled Inu-Yasha's hair, good-naturedly. Inu-Yasha was mystified; how could this youkai of immense strength, his father, have such a good sense of humor in the face of such odds?

"_Seems I've got a lot to learn from him_…._Maybe now I'll get the chance to._" Inu-Yasha mused, as he watched Inu-Taisho walk over to Sesshomaru's side.

"How is he faring?" Inu-Taisho asked, worriedly, as he gazed at the far-too-pale features of his eldest son.

"He's holding on, Father…..That is about all I can say." Arashi replied, looking down when Sesshomaru groaned softly and his eyelids fluttered.

"T-this scent……Father?" Sesshomaru whispered, as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Sesshomaru….." Inu-Taisho murmured, as he reached out and grasped his son's hand; knowing somehow that Sesshomaru was too weak to actually see him and believe that he was truly there.

"You're here……you're real……I thought you were merely a puppet…..A crude imitation…..created by Naraku……I'm glad I was wrong…." Sesshomaru said, surprising all those present when tears appeared in his eyes.

"Sesshomaru, I am here. I'm not going to let you die. Just hang on, son." Inu-Taisho urged, gently, as he brushed a hand against his son's fevered brow. With a weak nod, Sesshomaru again closed his eyes and slept; but not before inhaling as deeply as he could to take in Inu-Taisho's scent.

"This is the first time in two hundred years that I have seen tears in his eyes…..It is a relief to see that he even still knows how to cry." Arashi said, softly, as she smiled sadly at her elder brother, and then at her father.

"When was the last time, Arashi-san?" Kagome asked, after having held her silence for that touching moment.

"It was after Sesshomaru and I learned of Father's death." Arashi responded.

"Arashi, did he blame me for what happened?" Inu-Yasha asked, a searching look now taking up residence in his eyes. Arashi nodded.

"He blamed you and Izayoi-chan." Arashi replied, then added, "But I never did."

"Why is that?" Inu-Yasha again asked, confusedly. Arashi then smiled wholeheartedly.

"How could I hate someone Father had loved so deeply? Someone he'd given his life for? Besides, Sesshomaru-nii didn't hate you, per se…..In fact, after Izayoi-chan died, he and I took turns protecting you. In one way, we were the reason you survived that hellish experience you call your childhood." Arashi explained, knowing without even looking that Inu-Taisho was giving both her and Sesshomaru a proud look.

"You both…..protected me? Then why didn't I ever see you? I know I saw Sesshomaru from time to time, but never you, Arashi." Inu-Yasha said, voicing even more confusion over the matter.

"That can be explained perhaps at another time. For now, time is of the essence." Another voice said, from somewhere overhead.

"Who's there? Who are you?" Miroku shouted, as they all stood up and took up defensive positions around the wounded youkai.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The male voice said, yet again, as the owner appeared before the startled group. In a flash of white, a man leaped from the tree limbs high above them, and landed gracefully and soundlessly in front of Kagome, Inu-Yasha and Inu-Taisho. The man in question was tall, with long, unruly black hair that was tied securely on top of his head in a topknot. Intelligent, ebony eyes gazed calmly at the group and strong hands gripped a sheathed sword. Gold and silver armor peeked out from under the elegant white mantle he wore and the man himself seemed to glow with an aura of power.

"_Wow_….." Kagome thought, as she stared at the man.

"I am Hiko Seijuro, a Guardian of the Western Lands. I was on patrol when you all landed here." The man said, introducing himself and explaining his reason for being there in one felled swoop.

"I take it you are the Twelfth Hiko's successor?" Inu-Taisho asked, with a certain sadness in his voice. For a moment, Hiko gave him a stunned look, then regained his composure.

"Indeed, I am. Did you know my master?" Hiko asked, in turn.

"Yes. He was a good friend and sparring partner of mine. I seem to recall he gave my Tetsusaiga quite a hard time." Inu-Taisho said, surprising the group behind him even more.

"My master told me much about you, Inu-Taisho-sama, but how is it that you could be alive? I was told you had died in battle." Hiko said, admitting his confusion on the matter.

"I had. But I will explain in detail later. Does anyone within the Western Lands other than you know of my return?" Inu-Taisho questioned, his gaze turning serious. Hiko shook his head.

"Aside from myself and those with you, no one knows, sire. And even if you were observed entering these lands, they would probably think it was Sesshomaru-sama in true form, and not you." Hiko replied, confidently.

"Be that as it may, sir, we must get Sesshomaru-sama to a healer quickly. He was in a near-fatal battle recently and needs immediate help." Sango said, speaking up for the first time since they had left the village. Hiko nodded in agreement.

"True. And then there's the problem of the Jewel fragments…." Hiko murmured, as a troubled look crossed his features when he glanced in Kagome's direction.

"Jewel fragments……! You mean you can sense Jewel Shards!" Inu-Yasha asked, shocked when he got a grim nod from the swordsman in response.

"For some unknown reason, I can. A few small shards have been recovered in these Lands, all coming from the carcasses of youkai I can only guess have come from the Continent……" Hiko said, his voice finely edged with tension that was easily seen in his dark eyes. This got confused glances from the group, and between the group's members as well; what did this mean?

"In any event, we must hurry. My son's life is at stake." Inu-Taisho said, firmly. With a nod, Hiko turned away from them and called out to someone hidden from view.

"Kagemaru!" Hiko shouted, answered by a feline roar and the entrance of a dark-furred nekomatta onto the scene.

"Hey! That looks just like Kirara! Only he has darker fur and blue markings!" Shippou commented, his jaw dropping when the two nekomattas greeted one another with happy-sounding roars and cooing noises as they briefly rubbed up against one another, and as the dark nekomatta approached the one whom had called him.

"This is Kagemaru, my master's partner. He'll help lighten your burden, Inu-Taisho-sama, and make the going a bit easier." Hiko said, as he motioned for Arashi and Koryu (who had been holding his silence in Inu-Taisho's presence while riding with Sango and Miroku on Kirara's back) to get astride Kagemaru. Within moments, all were airborne again, with Hiko, Arashi, and Koryu on Kagemaru; Sango, Shippou and Miroku on Kirara, and Kagome, Inu-Yasha, and Sesshomaru on Inu-Taisho's strong back.

"_Hang on, Sesshomaru! We're almost there!_" Kagome thought, effectively echoing everyone else's thoughts on the matter as they followed the human guardian into the very heart of the Western Lands.

…………………………………

Gennmaru looked up when he heard plaintive cries in the distance, sensitive ears twitching as the sounds reached them.

"Gennmaru-sama! Over there!" Kira shouted, as he pointed out the direction the two imperiled owners of the voices were in.

"_Jaken! And a human child!_" Gennmaru thought, when he saw the pair even from that distance, and their attackers. A few lesser youkai now threatened the two, while a two-headed dragon tried to protect them.

"Sankon Tessou!" Gennmaru snarled, as he dashed to their defense; not even bothering with his sword, since he could handle vermin such as these with his claws.

"Inu-nii-sama?" the human child asked, confusedly, as she stared up at him. Gennmaru smiled calmly at the child.

"No, I am not Inu-Yasha, young one…..But I am related to him. How do you know of him?" Gennmaru asked, noticing that Jaken was also only just realizing who he was.

"Because Sesshomaru-sama and Inu-nii-sama are brothers. Who are you, sir?" the girl asked, wincing when Jaken hit on the head with his staff.

"Insolent child! Don't you realize? This is Sesshomaru-sama's cousin! The current regent of the Western Lands, Gennmaru!" Jaken said, in frustration. It was then that a look of wonder came across the girl's features, and she was quick to get up and dust herself off.

"It is good to meet you, Gennmaru-sama! My name is Rin!" the girl said, brightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rin. But I would be most grateful if you two could tell me where my cousin Sesshomaru has gotten to. Kou had told me before I left my holdings that he was in great danger." Gennmaru said, as troubled looks crossed both Rin's and Jaken's features.

"He left us here to take care of something in the lands near Inu-Yasha's Forest…..But there was something troubling my master….Something about a scent he'd picked up on before he went to locate its' source…..What it was, I don't know." Jaken informed.

"Hmm…..That certainly makes sense…..since he didn't want to involve you two, or allow undue harm to come to Inu-Yasha……He's as bullheaded as his father, make no mistake….." Gennmaru muttered, sighing in exasperation when he thought of the reason why the current Taiyoukai had not summoned aid when he'd apparently desperately needed it.

"Gennmaru-sama, will you help us find Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked, as she peered hopefully up at the tall Regent of the Western Lands. Gennmaru only smiled gently and nodded.

"I will do all in my power to find him, little one. You have my word." Gennmaru promised, looking to the side when Kira finally managed to catch up with him.

"You…..move so quickly….Gennmaru-sama….But it looks like they're all right." Kira panted, grinning when he saw that Rin and Jaken were safe and unharmed.

"Don't worry, Kira. You'll get faster, just give yourself some time." Gennmaru replied, encouraging his own charge, before turning to Ah-Un and ushering them all onto the dragon's back.

"_Please, be alive Sesshomaru. Don't end up like your father._" Gennmaru thought, as he mounted behind the two children and in front of his cousin's retainer. With a firm kick, he got the dragon into the air, and started flying towards the west; hoping against hope to find the Taiyoukai already in his home territory.

……………………………………………..

A unanimous sigh of relief was breathed when the group (consisting of Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Inu-Taisho, Arashi, Koryu, an unconscious Sesshomaru, Hiko, Kirara and Kagemaru) reached the outer wall of what could only be the citadel of the Western Lands.

"Who goes?" a youthful male voice shouted, from behind a stout-looking wood and stone gateway.

"Seijuro Hiko the Thirteenth, and visitors of the Western Lands desiring rest and refuge within the walls." Hiko replied, careful with how he phrased his reply, since he had been told sometime during the flight part of what had happened to Sesshomaru, and that there would be youkai here that would desire his death more than anything.

"Welcome back, Hiko-sama! We were worried about you!" the voice said, again, as its' owner peered over the top of the palisade and gave the mantled man a relieved look. Hiko in turn gave the youth a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure you were. Now, open the gate." Hiko commanded.

"Right away!" the youth replied, then shouted down at those below him, "Open the gate! The Guardian of the West has guests!" A few moments later, the huge gate swung open, and the group cautiously entered. Kagome could barely hold a gasp in when the sights within the citadel came to her eyes. As far as she could see, there were well-kept buildings and tracts of land. But what amazed her the most was the fact that there were youkai and humans co-existing here!

"I don't believe what I'm seeing……" Sango muttered, in disbelief, openly staring as youkai and humans walked along the paths together, not even giving one another second glances as they went about their daily routines.

"Welcome, taijiya, to the Western Lands." Inu-Taisho (who, before they had even come to the gate, had reverted to his false form) stated, calmly, as an official-looking youkai approached them; his eyes widening when he saw who stood there.

"I don't believe this…..Inu-Taisho-sama! Can it truly be you!" the youkai asked, his voice lowering to an excited whisper when he was ushered to do so. Inu-Taisho nodded.

"It is good to see you again, too, Keikoku. Is Meirou in? It is urgent that we get to her dwelling at once. Sesshomaru has been badly wounded." Inu-Taisho said, motioning to Inu-Yasha and Koryu who were carrying the injured Taiyoukai on a makeshift stretcher, while Arashi wiped his fevered brow with a damp cloth.

"Follow me." Keikoku said, knowing that time was not on their side and that Sesshomaru was in dire straits. Without another word, the group followed the other youkai through the bustling marketplace, down a few streets, through yet another gateway, and into a castle keep.

"Meirou! Meirou, where on earth are you? You're needed!" Keikoku shouted, urgently, as Hiko rushed up to one door and banged on it with his fist.

"All right, all right! Hold on!" a woman's voice said, from inside, as the owner of it came and opened the door; scowling at Hiko as she did so.

"What's all the commotion about out here? Natsu-san cannot be in labor this early!" Meirou said, snappishly. Hiko deadpanned.

"This isn't about Natsu, Meirou-san, but about the Lord of the Western Lands. He's in a bad way." Hiko replied, his irritation and embarrassment evident as he motioned for those carrying Sesshomaru to come forward.

"Kami-sama……what happened!" Meirou yelped, when the grisly sight of bloodstained bandages and the paleness of her newest patient came to her blue-green eyes.

"I did…..I was manipulated into attacking…..and almost killing…..my own son………Meirou, can you help him?" Inu-Taisho asked, as the healer's horror-filled gaze switched from Sesshomaru's injuries, to him, and back again.

"I-I'll see what I can do……But I don't know if even my skills will be enough…." Meirou trailed off, as self-doubt and fear warred for supremacy on her pretty features.

"Then do what you can." Inu-Taisho said, as the two hanyous carried Sesshomaru inside, gently lowered him to the floor, then reluctantly exited.

"I will…." Meirou replied, as she went back inside, and closed the door behind her. The waiting game had begun,……and it's players were none too keen on the idea.

Author's Note!

I am so sorry about the long wait between chapters, minna! Writer's block has been particularly cruel this year……I just hope that this chapter was worth the wait!

Gemini14


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